Rockstar Games parent company files suit against the BBC over upcoming GTA docudrama

Rockstar Games’ parent company Take-Two Interactive is suing the BBC over what it calls trademark infringement as it relates to the broadcaster’s plans to air a docudrama about the development of the Grand Theft Auto franchise.

When the BBC announced the project back in March, everyone simply assumed the broadcaster had Rockstar’s blessing.

In a statement issued to IGN, Rockstar acknowledged the lawsuit and said it has had no involvement with the project. The developer added that their goal is to ensure their trademarks are not misused in the BBC’s pursuit of an unofficial depiction of purported events related to Rockstar Games.

Furthermore, Rockstar claims it has attempted multiple times to resolve the issue directly with the BBC but was unable to reach a meaningful resolution. It is their obligation to protect their intellectual property and in this instance, Rockstar said litigation was necessary.

Game Changer, as the project is tentatively titled, will be a 90-minute feature that depicts the real-life conflict between Rockstar co-founder Sam Houser and GTA critic / lawyer Jack Thompson whose roles will be played by Daniel Radcliffe and Bill Paxton, respectively. The BBC has told multiple publications that it doesn’t comment on legal matters.

Filming for the feature got under way just over a month ago and is expected to air later this year as part of the BBC’s focus on coding and related activities.

Those greedy suckers will now be blocking free speech to squize last drop of blood of not only gamers but TV audience? After they had to defend their own right to freedom of expression from that lying leech Thompson? Nice! Why BBC even considered free advertisement for them? Cause either official or not, in this day and age free biopic is an advertisement - how did it go: "no matter what they say bout You, it matters they say bout You"?

Those greedy suckers will now be blocking free speech to squize last drop of blood of not only gamers but TV audience?

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Free speech isn't being violated. The BBC is using Take-Two/Rockstar's intellectual property to make a docudrama, not a news report. They need permission to do that. Furthermore, Take-Two's inability to come to terms with the BBC suggests the "free" advertisement isn't so free. The BBC being the politically correct institution it is, the portrayal of GTA and Rockstar is likely to be far more damning than the perception of Take-Two nixing the deal over money.